Gate for ore chutes and the like



March 24, 1925. 1,531,116

J. R. M GIFFERT ET AL GATE FOR ORE CHUTES AND THE LIKE Filed Sept, 1924 2 Shets-Sheet 1 3 4 JZgi my @2 1 ,M 8- ATTQRNEY-$ March 24,}1925. 1,531,116

J.v R. M GIF'FERT ET AL GATE FOR ORE CHUTES AND THELIKE Filed Sept. 50, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Jbizzz 7?. 277 611761! a ATIORNE \s Patented Mar. 24, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN RfMeGIFFERT AND, one L. DERBY, or DULUTH, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNORS To cnrnnmon worms, or DULUTH, MINNEsOTAyA conronn'rron or MAINE.

' GATE FOR ORE CHUTES AND THE LIKE.

Application filed September 30,1924. Serial No. 740,785;

To all whom c't may concern: I

Be itknown that we, JOHN R; MCGIF- FERT,"aI1d OLA L. BERBY, citizens of the United States, and residents of Duluth,

5 county of St. Louis, State of Minnesota, re-

spectively, have jointly invented anew and useful Improvement in Gates for Ore .Chutes and the: like, of which the fol-.

, lowing is a specification, the principle of the f invention beingherein; explained, and

the best mode in which we have contemplated applying.that-principle so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

In connection with oredocks, such as are found at the upper ports of the GreatLakes, the ore intended for transfer to vessels is received in an elevated-bin or pocket from which it is: discharged through a chute into the hold of a vessel tied alongside the deck. The bins are constructed with sloping bottoms and the discharge .openings through which the ore. escapes therefrom to the chutes and thence to the vessel hold are normallyjclosed by suitable gates ,which necessarily have to be ofrather heavy construction. The operation of such gates, moreover, entails some special difficulties for they are .very apt to become jammed in partially open position due to the rush of the heavy weight of materialin the bin. Accordingly, while normally held closed by means of a latch, it is desirable the moment such latch is released that the gate should be raised out of. the Way of the stream of .ore that, instantly starts flowing. from the bin. Having the foregoing in mind, a principal oliiject of'the present invention is to provide adequate POWOIT'IDQtUlS forraising and lowering a gate'of the typein question and for correlating with such operation of the gate proper the operation of the latching device provided in connection withsuchqgate so as to avoid any danger of the. gate, becoming jammed on the one hand and so' asto insure the closure of'the gate on the other hand.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawings and the following deare carried the tracks for the ore cars by seription setting forth in detail certain mechamsm embodying the mvention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings Fig. 1 is a broken side elevation of an ore dock of the type above referred to, with bin, discharge chute and gate, along with our presentimproved operating means for such 0 gate; Fig. 2 is'a broken front elevation of the same Fig. 3 is a plan view of the cable winding drum and associated mechanism that constitute the gate operating means proper; Fig. 4 is a side elevationof-thecs mechanism shown in Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 1s a front elevation thereof as viewed from the right in Figs. 3 and 4.

It will be understood. that the general arrangement of the parts of the ore docks illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 is typical. Thus, the bin or pocket 1,.of which only the ex treme lower portion is shown, is disposed below an elevated. platform 2." Onthe latter means of which the ore is brought to the dock and transferred to such bins or pockets, these being ordinarily arranged in batteries, that is, a number of pockets is provided side by side lengthwise of the dock so that ore may be discharged therefrom simultaneously through all the hatches of the vessel. Os- 7 cillatorily supportedbelow the bottom line 3 of each bin is a chute or spout 4 shown onlyin Fig.1 andthere appearing in dotted outline in itsraised'or inoperative position. lVhen ore is being discharged fromthe bin this spout will be, dropped. so as to extend in a downwardly inclined. direction, as need not be further explained.

. The gate or door 5, wherebythe discharge opening of bin 1 is normally closed, is ordi narily of rectangular outline and is slidably, as well as oscillatorily, secured at its upper end in two vertical guides 6, one on each side of the path of travel of the gate. Pivotally attached adjacent the lower end of the gate is one end of a link or bar 7, the outer end of which travels in an inclined guideway 8, and alatch 9, pivotally mounted just above such guideway, is disposed so as normally to engage the end of the bar and thereby prevent movement of the latter downwardly along such guideway. In the latched position of the bar, the gate is securely held in the closed position shown i1rFig.'1. However,-upon swinging the latch out of the path of travel of the bar end the latter is free to move downwardly along theguideway and thus allow the gate to swing out wardly about its transverse axis of oscillar tion in guides 6. 'Ihe moment,"however, the gate thus swlngs outwardly, it must be raised clear of the discharge"openingof the bin, otherwise the rush of material through such o enin will jam the gate and the weight of the niatenar-is so great that it is exceedingly difficult "tl1e1'eatte1' to release the gateand permit desired need-w er the material. ",It' is of course the weighto't' 'the material resting against thegate-w-h'en closed that anakes' it impractical to raise; the latter directly, i. e., 'in wen-algae vertical line.

' For the purpose of operating latch 9; a

double: arm =lever- EEO is osci llatorily amounted in *the "sup ortin framcwork above and slightlyto one sideof such latch, onee'ndof from 1 such latch or rather from common transverse-shaft 12 that carries both-latch and lever The 'respectl've ends at the double arm lever lO' arecon nected by means of cables or e uivalent flexible members 1% =with corresponding ends 1 of a' double arm lever 15' 0soillatorily' mounted on alat-ttjr n Qadj acentthegate operating mechanism 16 and efie'ct ttormi n g a part; thereof, as will now he described. A haindledlever 17 is.

- is employed to ralse'andilower the gate, such cable being suitably guided over ')'u-lleys 2i in the framework of the dock-dart hav i-i-ig its 7 lower end divided into two divergingparts 22' for-attachment to lugs or brackets-'23, one

on each side of the-upper edge of the gate. The upper end of cable is attached t0"=a grooved spool or winding drum 2% that forms the main 'elei i'ient of the operating mechanism 16, such spoolb'ei ng mounted on ashaft 25 on which is also fixedly secured a gear 26" that meshes "with a 1 pinion 27 normally freely rotatable on a drive shaft 28 parallel with said drum shaft 25.

Where a series of bins or pockets 1 is arranged side by side along the dock, the shaft 28 may be carried the entire length and so be disposed to drive the entire series of winding drums 2a or such selected ones thereof as may from time to time'be connected therewith. Such connectionis controlled by means of a cone clutch 30 of standard construction on shaft 28 adjacent pinion 2T,

the cone element of such clutch being moved in and out by means oi a rocker arm 31 rt'-ree;ly'oscillatorily about the axis of the double arm lever 15, being preferably thus "mountedon the same shaft 15 that carries said lever. The handled lever 1.7, whereby such double arm lever'l5 1s oscillated, as

arms' 32, each provided on its inner face with" a stop disposed to engage"1'ocke1"3l on; the "corresponding side, I It \vi'll accordmgly "be seen that while 'sal'd' hal'idled lever 17 is thus adapted to"opera te clutch' 30, as

well'as to oscillate double "arm lever '15,

there-'wi'll'be a. predet'errrrin'ed amount of lost motion inthe operation of the rocker. In other words, the clutch 30 willbe thrown in or out a littleartter the'double arin'lever"is 'o'scillatedvto actuate latch 9.

"Fixedly attached to shaft 15 is a hori- -zonta lly: projecting arm 35 with an opening inits ireeendthrough whichpas'ses cable -20 on its way-to drunr 241 'and' secured tosaid cable isa' button 36,"'so "located asto be brought in contact witharm 35. just before gate "5 has/been raised to its full open position. -Further-n1"ovement' ot' tl1e button as the cable is'WOun-d' up thereupon will raise the '"arm '35 and by swinging the handled leverl? with'stops 33 willserveto throw out clutolr30" througlrengageifient with the "appropriate one of saidstopswith rocker 31.

As shown in'Figs. '3, rand 5, aflexi'ble brake band is applied to theappropriate ly= enlarged liub 3 8 of? pinion 27, said ba'nd bein'g -=norm'ailly placed under tension by means 'ofaweighted arm 39 projecting ra dial-1y from shaft 40 to which the free end of" said band is attached. A handled lever 41 is in turn attached 'tosaid weighted lever 39 so that by ."PHlll'Il-g on said lever-in a clockwise directioinms shownin-Fig. 4-, the friction'o't' bal'id 3T onhubfl-KS will be relieved, ori=1rotl-1er words. any brakingaction eliminated. However, when the 'weigl'ltcd lever 39 is allowed to drop, the t pin'ion 2? a nd' thus "gear-26, with attached drum 2 t, a re held a gainstrotation.

The condition ofthe parts ofthe gate operating 'meclianis'i'n, last referred to, in which the brake 3'7 isappliedso as to hold the drum Zekagainst rotation, is thateX-ist ing when the gate or door 5' is in'its fully raised position. rkss'i'u'ning such "gate is thereupon i to be closed, following discharge of the material stored in bin 1, the brake 37 is released to allow the gate to descend under its own weight, therebynnwinding cable 20, the rate of this movement being controlled by the brake. As previously indicated,1 as the gate drops into closed position, the free endof bar 7'1novesoutwardly'and downwardly along guideway 8, strikes latch 9 and swings radially about latch 9 forcing the bottom of the gate into closed position. The reverse operation, i. e., when the gate is to be opened, requires first that handled lever 17 be swung in clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 2, sofas to raise latch 9. The gate is thereby left free to swing outwardly and immediately following the raising of the latch clutch 30 is thrown in so that the drum 24 instantly begins winding up cable 20, thus raising the gate entirely clear of the discharge opening of the bin. The engagement of button'36 with arm 35 just as soon as the gate has been raised to full open position automatically throws lever 17 tov the left as viewed in Figs. 2 and 5, turning latch 9 into position to engage end of bar 7 whenthe latter again moves downwardly, and stops the winding operation by disengaging clutch 30. The brake band is now again allowed to take hold and. the mechanism is ready for a repetition of the cycle of operation just described. Y i 7 Other modes of applying the principleof our invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as.

regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

"lVe therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as our invention 1.In mechanism of the character described, the combination with a vertically slidable gate having also an oscillatory il'lOVQ-lllfillt about a transverse axis; of means adapted to raise and lower said gate as desired; a latch adapted to engage said gate to prevent oscillationxthereof when closed; and means adapted to operate said latch, said means at the same time controlling said gate raising and lowering means, substantially as described.

53. In mechanism of the character described, the combination with a vertically slidable gate having also an oscillatory movement about a transverse axis; of a cable and cable winding means adapted to raise and lower said gate as desired; a latch adapted to engage said gate to prevent oscillation thereof when" closed; and means adapted to operate said latch, said means at the same time controlling said cable winding means.

3. In mechanism of the character de scribed, the combination with a Vertically slidable gate having also an oscillatory movementabout a transverse axis; of a cable connected with said gate for-raising and lowering same; a winding drum for said cable; a clutch controlling operation of said drum; a latch. adapted to engage said gate to prevent oscillation thereof when closed; and a leverfor operating said latch, said lever being also connected to operate said clutch.

4. In mechanism of the character described, the combination with a vertically slidable gate having also an oscillatory movement about a transverse axis; of a cable connected with said gate for. raising and lowering same; a winding drumfor said cable; a clutch controlling operation of said drum; a latch adapted to engage said gate to prevent oscillationthereof when closed; and a lever for operating said latch, said lever being also connected to operate said clutch, there being a lost-motion in the connection between the latter and said lever.

5. In mechanism of the character described, the combination with a vertically slidable gate having also an oscillatory movement about a transverse axis; of a cable connected with said gate for raising and lowering same; a winding drum for said cable; a clutch controlling operation of said drum; a latch adapted to engage said gate to prevent oscillation thereof when closed; a double arm lever for operating said latch; a second double arm lever provided with an operating handle; and'cables connecting the corresponding arms of said levers, said second lever also having a lost-motion connection with said clutch for operating same.

6,111 mechanism of the character described, the combination with a Vertically slidable gate having also an oscillatory movement about a transverse axis; of a cable connected with said gate for raising and lowering same; a winding drum for said cable; a driving shaft; clutch controlled gearing adapted to connect said shaft with said drum, whereby the latter may be rotated to wind up said cable and so raise said gate; a brake adapted to control reverse rotation of said drum, whereby said gate is lowered;

a latch adapted to engage said gate to prevent oscillation thcrco't' when closed; and a lever for operating said latcln'said lever be ing also connected to operate said clutch.

7. In mechanism of the character described, the combination with a vertically slidable gate having also an oscillatory gate is lowered; means for 'releasil lg. said brake when desired; a 'latch "adapted to 'engage said gzi-te' to prvent oscillation thereof when Closed; "21 "double zin'n l-ver for @perat-ing.saidlatch; a second dbubleiiarm 'l-vr provided with an "opratilig handle and cables zonnecting the "corresponding Iii-111s of said 1eve1's,'sz'aid second level" also JOHNR. MCGIFFERT, 'OLA L. B-ERBY. 

